Award details

Development of high yielding disease resistant and drought tolerant genotypes of finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.) genotypes

Reference	BBS/E/J/0000A086
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Mike Gale
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	15,963
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/05/2002
End date	15/09/2003
Duration	16 months

Abstract

Finger millet is a subsistence crop grown by farmers in India and East and Central Africa.The grain has high nutritional value and excellent storage qualities,which make it an important famine food.It is often grown on marginal soils in rainfaed conditions and intermittent drought spells have a negative effect on yield.The major biotic constraints to yield are neck and finger blast. The project aims to improve finger millet for resistance to blast and drought using a combination of conventional and marker-assisted breeding.Genotypes with improved resistance to these stresses will be selected on the basis of field performance and molecular data and backcrossed with farmers choice varieties.To ensure adaptation and preferences of the plant materials by farmers,many of the field trials will take place in participation with farmers. Blast and.to a lesser extent,drought resistance have been studied extensively in rice and other cereals.Finger millet can benefit from the information and knowledge already available in other cereals through comparative genomics.Cross-genome studies may lead to the identification of genes putatively involved in stress response in finger millet.We also aim to develop resources for the exploitation in fine-tuned genetic studies and genomics. The partnership brings together vast experience and expertise in rice and finger millet breeding,disease resistance,blst pathology,comparative genome analysis and genomics.Transfer of technology and materials to the developing country partner is an pbjective and will be achieved through training,reciprocal study visits, a workshop and field trips.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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